Overview
- On Tuesday, July 14, the Punjab Food Department suspended wheat quota permits for all flour mills serving Islamabad and Rawalpindi, stopping milling in the twin cities and triggering immediate local flour shortages and price jumps.
- The Punjab government responded by transferring about one million tonnes from PASSCO to provincial control and releasing wheat at Rs3,800 per 40kg to calm markets and deter hoarding.
- Sindh officials say recent enforcement operations recovered roughly 150,000–172,000 tonnes of concealed wheat, which eased local prices, yet the province still projects a 2.11 million tonne shortfall by March 2027 and is seeking PASSCO allocations, facilitation from Punjab, or imports.
- Analysts and industry groups warn production fell about 9% this season to roughly 29 million tonnes, leaving national availability nearly equal to estimated demand (about 33.47m tonnes available versus 33.58m tonnes needed), a narrow margin that raises the risk of wider shortages.
- Flour millers are pressing for prompt import permissions and clearer, coordinated stock management because ongoing provincial restrictions, suspected hoarding and transport check-post costs are already pushing consumer prices up and threatening mill operations.